Principal’s Report

Dear Fortians, Parents, Carers,

Welcome back students, staff and parents to Term 3, 2019. I hope that everyone is feeling refreshed and prepared for yet another busy term. Term 3 is an especially important term in particular for our senior students as Year 11 students finish their last term of the senior preliminary courses before commencing Year 12 courses in Term 4. Year 12 have been preparing for and have now commenced their Trial HSC exams and are on the home stretch before HSC exams take place next term. Language students are in fact preparing for their HSC speaking exams which will commence this weekend. Good luck to all our language students with these HSC speaking exams.

It is also subject selection time for Years 8 and 10. It is important that Year 8 students keep in mind that electives in Years 9 and 10 are not pre-requisites for any courses in Years 11 and 12 and that this is perhaps their last opportunity to experiment with something completely different before choosing their HSC subjects. Students are strongly encouraged to make selections based on what they enjoy and what they are good at. This message also applies to Year 10 students making their selections for Years 11 and 12. Whilst we will endeavour to create a curriculum pattern that meets the needs of most of our students we are limited by staffing and a maximum number of courses that can be offered at one time. We cannot guarantee that classes will run for all courses offered, this will depend on student demand.

Term 3 commenced for staff on Monday 22ndJuly with a Professional Learning day focused on effective feedback. Staff shared best practice strategies for peer and self-assessment as well as strategies for effective written feedback. All staff continued with this work in their faculty teams at our trade-off Professional Learning session on Thursday 1stAugust from 3.30pm to 6.30pm.

On Monday 29thJuly Fort Street welcomed 22 students visiting from China. These students have been experiencing school life in Australia with us and they will continue to attend school each day until Friday 9thAugust. It has been a wonderful experience for our Chinese language students to further develop their skills and also to spend each day comparing school and everyday life experiences between Australia and China.

IMP Congratulations

Recently our junior groups (Concert Band, Training Band and Big Band) performed at the Australian Band and Orchestra Festival, each band were awarded gold. At the recent Eisteddfod our Chamber Choir was the Winner of both their section and the Australasian Choral Championship. The Jazz Ensemble was also a Winner with the Philharmonic Orchestra placed Second and the Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Orchestra both placed Third. The Senior Percussion, Wind Ensemble and Wind Orchestra were all Highly Commended.

Regular extra-curricular Sport open to all:
Stretching Classes – Wednesdays 8.00 – 8.30am (School Gym)
Thursday Lunchtime (School Gym)
Volleyball Club – Wednesdays Lunchtime (School Gym)
Table Tennis Club – Wednesdays Lunchtime (School Gym) BYO bats and balls
Thursday Lunchtime (School Gym)
Futsal Club – Friday 8.00 – 8.30am (tennis courts)
Running Club – Friday 8.00 – 8.30am (oval)

Staff Member of the Week
At the end of term the Staff Trophy was awarded to Sarah Wilkinson (Technology Teacher) who passed on the trophy this term to Craig McGeachie our amazing IT support staff member. Last week the trophy was handed on to Paul Pagani in Social Science. Congratulations to all these staff members for their hard work and dedication to the Fort.

ATARS RELEASED SAME DAY AS HSC

ATARs this year will be released at 1pm on Tuesday 17 December – the same day as HSC results.

Students will have all the information they need on the day to make their future study decisions and have more time to finalise their preferences for December Round 2.

The deadline for finalising December Round 2 offer round preferences is midnight on Thursday 19 December 2019. This is the first major offer roundfor Year 12 students.

ALL 2020 COURSES ONLINE IN AUGUST
All 2020 courses from UAC’s participating institutions will be available on UAC’s website from Friday 2 August.

For students who have already applied, remind them to log in to their application to review and update their preferences.

For students who haven’t yet applied, now is the perfect time. Also let them know that the Early bird application period ends at midnight on Monday 30 September, at which time the processing fee increases, so even if they’re not sure, apply now so they can keep their options open and their budget sweet.

UAC PIN REMINDER EMAILS COMING SOON

An email will be sent to Year 12 students on Friday 2 August to let them know that all courses are now online and to remind them of their UAC PIN.

Let students know that PINs will be emailed to the address they have registered with NESA, so they need to ensure this is a current email address. If they have already applied, their PIN reminder will be sent to the email address they used when they submitted their application.

To start their UAC application students will need their Year 12 student number (issued through their school) and their UAC PIN.

Once they have applied they can use their UAC Application Number (generated once they put in their personal details) and UAC PIN to login and manage their application.

If students don’t have their UAC PIN email, or are having problems with their PIN, they can read the FAQ or contact UAC directly.

WHY APPLY THROUGH UAC?
Applying through UAC allows students to apply for courses across 27 institutions. Some of those institutions also offer direct applications just for their own courses. Based on feedback we’ve received from schools, we know that students are unsure about whether they should apply direct to the institution or through UAC, and to increase their chances many are doing both. It’s important for students considering a direct application to remember the following:

• not all institutions accept direct applications from Year 12 students
• having a UAC application also allows you to apply for EAS, SRS and Equity Scholarships
• having a UAC application as well as a direct application will give you more chance of securing an offer, so long as you don’t enter the same preferences in both applications.

Michael Kirby returns to the Fort

Michael Kirby returned to Fort Street High School on Friday July 26. He addressed a full school assembly as well as running other smaller workshops with Year 12 Legal Studies students, Amnesty Club members and Year 11 Legal Studies students. Michael spoke about the importance of using the legal system and law reform as a method of achieving justice for all. He gave examples of challenging laws that restrict human rights. He cited activism with which he was involved in Walgett in the 1960s that challenged separate designated seating in cinemas for Aboriginal Australian and Anglo Australians. He spoke of the importance of using the legal system to address discrimination. He also spoke of the importance of valuing diversity in society, including within the legal fraternity. Michael’s role as patron of the Asian Australian Lawyers Association is a demonstration of his attempts to promote and facilitate Asian cultural diversity in all ranks of the legal profession. We look forward to Michael’s return to the Fort.

Rodney Carritt

WAFTUS

During term two, a group of Year ten students (from Fort Street and Tempe High School) went to Wilkins, Ashfield and Summer Hill primary schools to mentor younger students to complete Science investigations. Each of us was assigned to a group of three to four students from Years 3, 4 and 6 in order to guide them through the scientific process in order to investigate a scientific question of their choice. We worked with our mentees every Wednesday morning at their school, teaching the students about fair testing and proper procedures to carry out their investigations. It was amazing to see how eager and capable they were, which made our jobs as mentors very easy. Towards the end of Term 2 during weeks eight and nine, we were all busy working, preparing and getting ready for the presentation day at Fort Street on Wednesday, July 3.

On the presentation day morning we all arrived at the Fort Street High School hall and began setting up for the judges from UTS to look at each project. It was amazing to walk around the hall and see eight to twelve year old students’ display projects with such professionalism and detail on topics such as the Absorption rate of Orbeez, Conductivity of different types of potatoes, The optimal light colour for plant growth, The reaction between coke and mentos, and The melting rate of different liquids, just to name a few! The judges from UTS arrived and went around to each group, asking them questions about their project. Finally after anxiously waiting throughout lunch, we gathered together for the awards and listened to some very fascinating speeches from scientists at UTS. The primary school students were very happy and proud to be a part of this program and everyone involved (both mentors and mentees) gained a lot of knowledge.

Allowing the primary school students to do a complex project with a mentor gives them responsibility, freedom and a challenge which they can rise up to. The quality of the work amazed Fortians, teachers and the representatives from UTS who came to judge the projects and is a proof of the success of this program and capability of future scientists. It was so much fun working with such intelligent and enthusiastic students, and the bond we formed with them was truly unique. Thank you to Ms Jamble and Mr Webb for taking the time to organise such a fantastic program, and we can’t wait to see the projects produced next year!

Stella Sharwood and Carmen Ossimitz (year 10)

Year 11 Biology Fieldtrip to Botany Bay

On Monday, July 1 2019, 80 Year 11 students participated in a field trip to Botany Bay to collect data for their Depth study task which is a part of the Preliminary Biology course. Prior to the excursion, we had to come up with scientific inquiry questions and prepared ourselves for an exciting one-day escape from school.

Despite an early start and a few latecomers, the Biology cohort had a smooth bus trip and soon arrived at their destination. Immediately, we felt the harsh winds coming from the North and some of us regretted our decision to conduct our investigations in the water, which was surely to be freezing. We were then split into groups and each group was led by an experienced instructor from Auseco to work on their chosen habitat in various locations. While the instructors went on to explain how to use the various equipment, we waited in anticipation to get our hands on all the promised fancy equipment.

Immediately after the explanation, there was a cluttered race for the limited equipment. Hands were full of dichotomous keys, pH meters and nets. Groups were then dispersed to our pre-ordained locations and rushed to gather the data we needed for our Depth Study within the 3 hour time slot. Students in groups were either slumped in the muddy mangroves, salt marsh or knee deep in the cold ocean water in order to collect the data. After a long day, everyone regrettably had to wrap up their experiments and prepare to leave. Many of us were muddy and rushed to the two toilet stalls in an attempt to change our clothes and shoes before the bus ride back to school. As the toilet lines died down, the teachers ushered us into the buses to be driven back to school after what was a very tiring day.

Thank you to all the teachers who organised the excursion (yea Ms Jamble) and the AUSECO instructors who assisted us throughout the day.

Crystal Pham

National Tree Day

On Friday the 19th of July, Jordan Mai of the Fort St Environmental Committee travelled to Bunnings Ashfield to ask for tree donations for National Tree Day. National Tree Day was on the 25th of July and Fort Street once again participated by planting 16 native trees donated by Bunnings and using the mulch donated by the TAS faculty.

The trees were planted along the cross country route behind Rowe Quad, facing Parramatta Rd and Andreas St. The environmental Committee represented by Alyssa Koit, Jordan Mai, Genevieve Bivell, Tim Brew and Carlo Famularo spent their lunch planting and watering the trees in order to improve the sustainability of the school environment.

We would like to thank Ms Xu for managing the committee and Mr Caritt for advising us on where to plant our trees.

Genevieve Bivell, Charlotte Graham and the Environmental Committee

World Cube Association World Championship

It was 11 July when 833 competitors from 47 countries worldwide gathered in Melbourne to compete in the biennial event, WCA (World Cube Association) World Championship 2019. Sora and I were extremely delighted and excited that we met the qualification times for several events and made it to this prestigious event.

Over the 4-day championship, we competed in several events, namely 2×2, 3×3, 4×4, 5×5, Pyraminx, 3×3 One Handed, Skewb and Fewest Moves. Not only that, we even got to rub shoulders with the top speedcubers and world record holders from USA, Germany, China etc. It was an awesome experience for us. Results wise, I achieved my targets of making it to round 2 for my pet events ie. 2×2 and 3×3. Sora was in excellent form and he made it to round 2 for 5 events! During the competition, many world records were smashed, and we both achieved new personal records too.

When the event came to a close, we said goodbye to our new friends but we are already looking forward to the next world championship in 2 years’ time.

Sora and Loic

World Education Program Australia

World Education Program (WEP) Australia is a not-for-profit student exchange organisation, registered with the education departments/regulatory authorities. WEP has recently been awarded the title of Leading Provider of Student Exchange Programs 2019 by the Australian Enterprise Awards.

Applications deadlines for our short term exchange programs departing this November/December are closing shortly. 2020 scholarships are also available. If you are in Year nine, 10 or 11 and are interested to find out more please click here.

Study Overseas Information Evening

On Wednesday 28 August from 5.00 – 7.30pm Ascham School is hosting the annual ‘Study Overseas Information Evening’. The intention of this evening is to provide Year 10, 11 and 12 students and their parents with an opportunity to meet representatives from a range of international tertiary institutions from North America, UK, Asia and Europe.

Representatives from US and UK universities will deliver presentations about their respective undergraduate application processes in the Packer Theatre from 6.00-7.00pm.

The event will be held at Ascham School, 188 New South Head Road, Edgecliff with easy access directly across from Edgecliff train station and 2 hour free parking is available at the Edgecliff Shopping Centre. There is NO onsite parking available. The event is free and registration is essential.

To register, www.trybooking.com/531591

University Open Days

UNSW Open Day 2019 is on Saturday 7 September from 9am – 4pm.  It is the best opportunity to explore everything that the university has to offer and get all your questions answered.

Throughout the day there will be over 100 mini-lectures on offer, faculty demonstrations and workshops, campus tours and the Scientia Advisory Centre, where attendees can speak one-on-one with academic and faculty representatives.

Students can register HERE to receive the latest updates and download the Open Day Uni-Verse app, to help you make the most out of your day.

Sydney University Open Day is on Saturday 31 August.  Register HERE

UTS Open Day is on Saturday 31 August.  Register HERE

Instrumental Music Program

Australian Band and Orchestra Festival Success

Congratulations to the Concert Band, Training Band, and Big Band, and their conductors Matt Manchester, Brad Lucas and Ray Cassar. All three bands performed at the Australian Band and Orchestra Festival on Sunday, and all three received a gold award. An outstanding result!

Audition Results

In the past few weeks the IMP conductors have heard auditions from over 140 musicians, for the places vacated by our departing year 12 cohort. The competition was fierce, and we were very impressed by students’ preparation, musical maturity, and courage in auditioning. Congratulations to those who were successful, and we look forward to seeing the rest of you again next year. New ensembles begin rehearsals next week.

IMP Farewell to Year 12s

The mid-year concert at the end of last term farewelled our largest ever cohort of year 12s, who retire from the IMP to focus on their HSC exams. Congratulations on five and a half years of brilliant music-making. We will miss you all! Best of luck with the upcoming HSC, and wherever life takes you in the future, make sure music is a part of that.

Discount on new flutes

Sydney Band Instruments has advised that they have an oversupply of brand new Pearl flutes which they are willing to pass on at below cost to existing school clients such as Fort Street. If you are interested identify that you are from Fort Street and that you heard about the Pearl Flutes sale in order to get the discount.

Sydney Band Instruments 286 Victoria Rd, Gladesville 2111

ph: (02) 8958 4537

w: sydneybandinstruments.com.au

email: info@sydneybandinstruments.com.au

Local Foster Carers needed